


five stops

by jusdefraise



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Age Difference, First Meetings, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Strangers to Lovers, mentions of depression, sehun is an angel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-05
Updated: 2019-03-05
Packaged: 2019-11-12 13:58:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18012236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jusdefraise/pseuds/jusdefraise
Summary: Baekhyun was not having a good day until a handsome stranger sat next to him on the subway and started talking to him.





	five stops

**Author's Note:**

> hellooooo everyone!!  
> im currently reading a manhua called ["here u are"](https://mangarock.com/manga/mrs-serie-100225651) and the main characters look Just Like SeBaek that i have no choice but to write smth. i am Inspired. it starts off a little sad tho. not too bad but yanno. brace urselves. also the age gap is of 5 years (20 and 25) which makes it a legal age gap. 
> 
> self beta'd so theres bound to be mistakes. pls excuse me if there are any!
> 
> warning for mentions of depression (!!!!)
> 
> pls enjoy!

Baekhyun has had a very long day. Customers were very rude during his morning shift at the local grocery store, his lecture ran half an hour later than normal (because his professor really doesn’t know when to Stop Talking), and to top it all off, Jongdae dropped his hoodie in a puddle while in a rush to return it so he could meet his girlfriend. A very long day.

So here Baekhyun sits, cold and soaking wet (because it’s winter and it's raining and he forgot his umbrella again), on the subway and he wants nothing more than a hot bath, a nap, and maybe a good cry. He stares out the window and bites his lip to stop the lump in his throat from growing.

The truth is, it’s been hard for Baekhyun lately. Hard to get out of bed, hard to do schoolwork, hard to do work, hard to _exist_. Life isn’t as simple as he wanted it to be, and ever since he moved out (read: was kicked out) of his parents’ house, he’s felt inexplicably lonely and incapable of doing basic things. He wants to get a roommate, but he doesn’t want to mind someone else. Plus, there’s absolutely no room in his shoebox apartment. And moving is a hassle. Life is just so hard. 

He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath through his nose. Just five more stops until it’s his own. He can wait five stops. Five stops and then he can cry. He grips the strap of his backpack just a little tighter.

“Are you alright?”

Baekhyun snaps his eyes open, startling at the voice coming from beside him. There’s a boy sitting next to him, a handsome boy, and while his face seems mostly expressionless, there’s a hint of concern in the slight furrow of his eyebrows. 

“Yes, I’m alright,” Baekhyun says, voice coming out a little wobbly. He clears his throat and tries again. “I’m alright, thank you.”

The boy blinks, not truly looking convinced, but he nods once. “I would ask you how your day is going, but I don’t think you want to talk about it.” He pauses and glances out the window before meeting Baekhyun’s eyes again. “What’s your favorite color?”

Baekhyun stares blankly, slightly shocked that this stranger is speaking to him. This is also the first time he’s seen him on the subway. Baekhyun always sits or stands in the same cart every day and he definitely would’ve noticed such a good looking man. 

“Um,” he says intelligently. “Yellow?” The boy beams at his answer and Baekhyun is momentarily shocked again. He’s even more handsome than before, the apples of his cheeks shining slightly from the lights above them. “And yours?”

“I like green,” the boy says, leaning back in his seat and adjusting his backpack in his lap. “But not bright green. Like emerald or hunter green. I like darker, more muted colors.” He turns and quirks the corner of his lip. “Pretty opposite from you, huh?”

Baekhyun cracks a smile smile. “It seems so,” he mumbles softly, glancing out the window of the subway cart when it lurches to a stop. Four more stops.

When the crowd settles and the subway begins to move, the boy turns to Baekhyun, holding a hand out. “My name is Sehun, by the way. It’s nice to meet you…”

“Baekhyun,” Baekhyun says, squeezing Sehun’s hand and giving it one shake. “My name is Baekhyun.” They let go of each others hands and exchange a smile, Sehun’s bigger than Baekhyun’s but a smile all the same. 

“Favorite season?” Sehun asks, fidgeting with the zipper of his bag. He smiles at the little girl standing with her father a few feet away from where they sit and it makes Baekhyun’s heart warm.

“I like spring,” he says, sticking his fingers through the holes in his jeans. “Not too hot.” Sehun nods at this and says that he likes spring, too. 

“Favorite food?” Baekhyun hums slightly and replies, “I think sushi. Or pork ribs.” Sehun nods and then says, “I like tofu soup. But not too spicy. My grandma makes it just right.” Baekhyun chuckles softly at that.

“Favorite time of day?” 

“Early morning. Like around 6 or 7.”

“Oh, I’m a huge night owl. Favorite movie?”

“He Even Has Your Eyes. I had to watch it for a French class I took and it made me cry.”

“Is it on Netflix?”

The subway stops and there’s a pause in their conversation as the passengers get on and off. _Three more stops_ , a voice in the back of his mind reminds Baekhyun.

“Yes, it’s on Netflix.”

“I’ll watch it soon then. I like The Pursuit of Happyness.”

“That’s a good movie.”

“Yeah, Will Smith is a god.”

This time, Baekhyun asks a question. “Are you in school?”

Sehun smiles and nods happily. “Yeah. I’m about to go to medical school though. I graduate this year.”

“You look young,” Baekhyun says surprised. Sehun laughs and says, “Yeah, I did a lot of credits in high school and over summer breaks so I managed to go straight into my major. I just turned 20.” He turns to look at Baekhyun. “How old are you?”

“25,” Baekhyun smiles softly. “I’m old.” 

“Not that old!” Sehun says, nudging him slightly with his elbow. _Boney_ , Baekhyun thinks. Sehun points to Baekhyun’s backpack. “Are you still in school?”

That makes Baekhyun deflate slightly. “Yes. Computer science major. I worked straight out of high school and didn’t think about college until I was 23. I just transferred from a community college. I won’t graduate for a couple of years.”

Sehun hesitates slightly and opens his mouth to say something, however he’s cut off by the subway lurching to a stop. There’s a young girl with her grandfather that walk onto the cart and the two of them stand to offer them their seats. They make their way towards the doors of the cart and have to huddle together to make space for the other passengers. Up close, Baekhyun can smell Sehun’s cologne and he tries not to make his blush obvious. Two more stops. 

“I think it’s great what you’re doing,” Sehun says, his breath grazing Baekhyun’s face slightly. Baekhyun looks up in confusion, so Sehun continues. “College. I don’t know you all that well and I don’t know the circumstances you’re in but the fact that you’ve decided to go to college, even if you think you’re late, which you aren’t, is great. You’re doing a good job, Baekhyun.”

Suddenly, the lump in Baekhyun’s throat reappears (he doesn’t recall it going away) and he gives Sehun a watery smile. “Thanks,” he whispers. “Means a lot.”

“Anytime,” Sehun says, giving Baekhyun’s shoulder a squeeze. He bites his bottom lip slightly, thinking of another question to ask. “Who’s your favorite artist right now?”

Baekhyun clears his throat of the lump and says, “Lady Gaga. I saw her live when my cousin dragged me to go a few years ago and I’ve been a changed man ever since.” He smiles at Sehun’s laugh and discreetly wipes his eyes of a tear that’s slipped out.

“She was really good in A Star Is Born. And Bradley Cooper,” Sehun sighs. “What a man. I like Solange’s new album, in case you were wondering. She’s my favorite artist right now. Anyways, what’s your favorite flower?”

Baekhyun grabs onto a handle when the subway begins to lurch again, sending a grateful smile when Sehun grabs his backpack to keep him from knocking into the young woman standing next to them. People get on and off and the crowd settles once more. One more stop.

“I like snapdragons. Red ones,” Baekhyun says after a moment. “Or daisies. What are yours?”

“I like baby’s breath,” Sehun says, tightening his grip slightly on the rail. “They’re filler flowers, but I think they’re pretty. Favorite meme?”

“That’s a hard question,” Baekhyun says, giggling slightly. He pulls out his phone and after a few seconds of tapping, he shows the screen to Sehun. “This is my favorite meme right now.”

Sehun stares at the picture and immediately bursts into laughter, the other passengers in the subway cart glancing at the two boys. They try to quiet their laughs but still end up snickering to themselves. 

“That is such a good one. My favorite is that video of that lady knocking on the car window going ‘open the fuck up’. I always send it to my friends instead of knocking on the door when I’m at their place,” Sehun smiles and then looks at the subway map above the doors. “Oh, I never asked. What’s your stop?”

“This next one,” Baekhyun says, and he internally coos at Sehun’s disappointed face. “Yeah, I was trying to think of a way to tell you.”

“Well, I have to get off at that one, too,” Sehun says, his smile turning sheepish. “Mine was two stops ago.”

“What?!” Baekhyun says, eyes wide. “Why didn’t you get off? Now you have to take another subway back.”

Sehun shrugs and smiles. The subway lurches to a stop, and they get off the cart as soon as the doors open. They weave between in the crowd until they get to a bench and they stop, standing in front of each other and exchanging a smile. 

“You asked why I didn’t get off,” Sehun says. He shoves his hands into his front pockets and rocks back and forth on his heels. “The truth is, I saw you sitting there and I knew you were having a bad day, so I just. I dunno, I wanted to talk to you until you felt better. And then I just lost track of time. So, yeah. Just because I wanted to talk to you.”

Baekhyun stares at Sehun in awe, wondering how someone could think something like that. To do something out of their way, simply to make a stranger smile. It fills him with a little bit of hope and happiness. It’s a feeling he wants to carry with him at all times so he can feel warm on his sad days. 

“Thank you,” Baekhyun says, and the sincerity of it makes both of them blush. “I really did have a shit day. You’ve made it a million times better, though. Thank you so much, Sehun.”

Sehun shakes his head and gives Baekhyun a beautiful smile. “Anytime, Baekhyun. Really, it was my pleasure. Well, um. I better go now because apparently, I have another subway to catch. See you around!”

Sehun does a little awkward nod and turns around to walk away when Baekhyun reaches out to grab his arm. 

“Wait, Sehun,” Baekhyun says, gripping the sleeve of Sehun’s coat lightly enough that the other boy can pull away. “Are you- I mean, do you want to get something warm to drink with me? If you aren’t too busy, of course.” 

Baekhyun’s insides churn with nervousness until Sehun grins and nods his head. He slips his arm out of Baekhyun’s grip and grazes his fingers against Baekhyun’s, to which the older responds and holds Sehun’s hand in his own.

“I’d love to,” Sehun says, giving Baekhyun’s hand a light squeeze. “If I’m not mistaken, there’s a cafe around here with really good croissants.” They go to the stairwell and start to climb up to ground level, asking each other questions all the while.

Six months later, with his head tucked in the other’s lap, Sehun asks, “Who’s your favorite person?” Baekhyun responds, “You.”

**Author's Note:**

> can u tell ive only taken the subway a grand total of like eight times dhjshsjdhsjdh
> 
> pls leave me a little babbie comment if u liked it or if u think i need improvement somewhere!! thank u so much for reading :D
> 
> come be my friend on [twitter](https://twitter.com/fresabbh)!


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